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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25136614">You Deserve Better</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkeythehamster/pseuds/sparkeythehamster'>sparkeythehamster</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Shipping Challenge [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Whitechapel (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confessions, First Kiss, M/M, Use of Chandler's First name</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 11:02:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,857</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25136614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkeythehamster/pseuds/sparkeythehamster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While staking out a suspect, Kent and Chandler are almost caught. Joe does the first thing he can think of to maintain their cover and kisses Kent. After the suspect is brought in Miles notices how jumpy Kent is behaving and asks his boss if he knows anything about it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joseph Chandler/Emerson Kent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Shipping Challenge [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1787848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Deserve Better</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the sixth story in my challenge now. I've been rewatching the series recently with a friend so this was a lot of fun to write.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The thick wool of his jacket did little to abate the chill of the cold January air. It was nearing one in the morning, and by Joe’s reckoning it was at least -1°C. Most people would be tucked into their warm beds and fast asleep by now, but as appealing as that idea sounded to him, work came first.</p><p>They’d been attempting to pin down Tony Wilson for the past week, a drug dealer who had brutally stabbed a young teen to death and left his body to rot in a gutter. Holding him for extensive questioning had proven to be nearly impossible with his fancy and awfully expensive lawyer. However, Mansell had suggested they go the ‘Al Capone route’, something Ed had enthusiastically seconded.</p><p>If they caught him drug dealing then they’d have a reason to arrest and charge him. Once he was in custody they could properly begin breaking down his involvement in the murder of Jeremy Fitzwick.</p><p>That was the reason DI Joseph Chandler and his team were staking out various corners of Altab Ali Park in the middle of the night. One of Miles’ informants had passed on that this spot was one of Wilsons’ regular haunts.</p><p>Holding the radio up to his face in leather gloved hands, Joe pressed the call button. “DI Chandler and DC Kent, east exit all clear.”</p><p>A second passed before Miles replied. “<em>DS Miles, front exit, all clear</em>.”</p><p>Followed by a second message. <em>“DC Mansell and DC Riley, west exit is all clear.</em>”</p><p>Emerson Kent was standing only a short shoulder width away from him, hands buried into the pockets of his hoodie. In the vague outline of the nearby streetlamp, Joe could make out pale whiteness of his skin and the shivers he was doing his best to hide. Considering the poor job his own woollen coat was doing, Joe could only imagine how cold the other man must be in that cheap looking outfit.</p><p>They hadn’t spoken much since the stakeout had begun, but there was no awkwardness either. A quiet and companionable silence.</p><p>However, the quiet of the night and the chill on the air was beginning to grate on him a little.</p><p>“Is that the warmest jacket you have?” He broke the silence with a question, realising as soon as he’d spoken that it sounded like he was criticising the younger man rather than just expressing his concern. Kent, however, didn’t seem to notice, or he’d simply worked with Joe long enough to understand what he meant, because he didn’t seem upset or shocked.</p><p>“I did have another coat, but my flatmate’s dog ate it last month. Been meaning to buy a new one.” He shrugged his shoulders, hopping up and down on the spot, letting out a small puff of air that clouded in front of his face for a few moments before dissipating into the night air. “Thought I’d wait until she’d moved out though, that way I don’t have to deal with her stupid dog ruining another one.”</p><p>Honestly, Joe didn’t know a lot about Kent’s homelife. He was private and didn’t freely offer up information about himself, with the exception of very brief passing comments. Joe’s knowledge of Kent was mostly drawn from speculation. The other man had friends outside the station, but he never allowed the two groups to mix. As far as Joe knew Kent didn’t date either, or at least if he did he never discussed any of his partners with the others. Of course, Kent was entitled to keep these things private, but Joe couldn’t help but feel a nudge of curiosity sometimes.</p><p>“Your flatmate is moving?” He tried to sound inconspicuous, passing conversation to fill the time, rather than a nosy poke into the life of his DC.</p><p>Kent nodded loosely. “She and another one of my flatmates are getting married, they’ve got a new place lined up for after the wedding in March. I’ve got to look for somewhere new before then.” He pulled an unconscious expression of discomfort. “I’d rather pay the extra rent to live on my own, than risk it with new flatmates I don’t know.”</p><p>Joe could understand this. He’d never lived with anyone, and the mere thought of living with people he didn’t know was enough to send a cringe running from the base of his skull all the way down to the bottom of his spine.</p><p>Before either of them had a chance to say anything further, Joe caught a flicker of movement from the path leading in from the east entrance. He only had a second to identify the man, but the distinctive broad build and thick beard belonging to Tony Wilson made him an easy mark.</p><p>Shit.</p><p>They couldn’t radio for back-up; Wilson was too close and far too dangerous for the two of them to handle by themselves. Within seconds he’d be drawing level with them, and one clear glance would identify them. They’d already called the man in for questioning after all, and Joe had sat in on the interviews.</p><p>It was at the last second that an idea struck him. There was no time to signal to Kent, and he could already feel Wilson’s eyes drifting towards them. Craning his neck down, one hand against the younger man’s face, and the other buried in his jacket Joe pulled his DC into a kiss, turning his own face away from the oncoming suspect.</p><p>Beneath him, Joe could feel Kent tensing, his body rigid and absolutely still.</p><p>“Just go along with it.” Joe drew back with only a breath between them, his voice low, before he pressed forward again.</p><p>Joe could count on one hand the number of people he’d kissed. He knew a great many men who were perfectly happy to kiss any willing partner, but for Joe it had always been more complicated than that. Trust, familiarity, and conformation of requited feelings were necessary for him to even attempt to kiss someone under normal circumstances. This, however, was an emergency. Besides Kent wasn’t unfamiliar to him, and he certainly trusted the other man, which dealt with the most challenging obstacles.</p><p>He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but the softness of Kent’s mouth surprised him, and when Kent relaxed enough to brace his hands against the taller man’s arms, Joe felt a jolt of energy plunge from his chest deep into his stomach.</p><p>The chill of Kent’s cheek brushed his own, and instinctively Joe felt himself draw the smaller man in closer against the warmth of his coat.</p><p>They broke for air a couple of times, but consciously or not, chased one another’s mouths to begin the process again.</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>Joe flinched; Wilson had called out to them. He sounded angry, what the hell were they going to do if he’d already recognised them.</p><p>A hand brushed along his hip. Before he could stop himself, Joe responded by nipping down softly on his constable’s lower lip. Kent’s gasp followed by a soft and shuddered moan sent the blood in Joe’s body flowing in every which-way direction. For a moment Kent’s hand against his hip trembled, then he closed it carefully around the radio. That’s what he’d been looking for. Of course, it was, it was their only line of defence if Wilson made a lunge for them.</p><p>Humiliated, but knowing he couldn’t stop, Joe broke the kiss only for a moment to convey what he hoped was an apologetic glance at the other man, before craning Kent’s head upward with a brush of his hand to kiss him again, more gently this time. He’d only briefly registered the look of dazed confusion on Kent’s face, afraid if he looked for too long one of them would realise what they were doing and panic.</p><p>“If you want to fuck with rent boys, there’s a perfectly good hotel round the corner!” Wilson snapped, his voice trailing as moved past them down the path. “Fucking exhibitionists!”</p><p>Kent trembled slightly at the implication, almost drawing back, but Joe held on. Lowering his mouth away from Kent’s to press it loosely against his collar, a clear enough line of sight to follow Wilson’s retreating form. He could feel Kent’s breath against his forehead, short warm pants of air, and… a whimper of distress.</p><p>As soon as Wilson was out of sight, Joe pulled back sharply, allowing Kent to pull away from him.</p><p>Right…</p><p>He shook his head quickly, turning away from Kent as he whispered into the radio. “<em>Suspect heading west. Riley, Mansell, move into position</em>”.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
Arresting Wilson had been a disaster. They’d collected the evidence they needed to convict him of the murder and drug dealing, only for him to OD in the cell. Another death in a long line of bad luck his department just couldn’t shake.</p><p>The paperwork had been a nightmare and he’d been called up to head office again to be criticised for the death of yet another culprit. Of course, the paperwork showed that neither he or any member of his team were personally responsible for the death of any of their suspects, it was just the worst case of bad luck ever put on police records.</p><p>Miles was waiting to greet him the moment he returned to the department in the Whitechapel station. His arms were crossed and that sharp look in his eye told Joe that the older man was leaning between equal parts concern and curiosity.</p><p>“How was the meeting with head office?”</p><p>“They shouted at me for a good hour before being forced to admit they couldn’t actually fire me” Joe replied candidly, after all, it wasn’t the first time he’d had a meeting like this. “Everything okay here?”</p><p>Miles’ mouth tightened, his grey eyes shifting to watch Joe carefully as they walked. “I don’t suppose you know why Kent is so on edge? The lad almost fell out of his chair when Mansell asked him how things on the stakeout went.”</p><p>“Oh.” The intense look Miles was giving him made Joe feel a little self-conscious, but, he had after all acted for the best at the time. “Wilson appeared very suddenly near our spot. We didn’t have time to call for back-up, so I had to make a quick decision on how to hide our identities until there was a chance to use the radio.”</p><p>“And?” Miles pressed; he’d reached out his arm to block their route into the incident room.</p><p>If his cheeks turned pink, then Joe did his best to ignore it. “I kissed him. It worked; Wilson didn’t suspect…”</p><p>Miles’ eyes had doubled in size, and for a moment he just gaped, mouthing wordlessly at his DI as he attempted to process what had just been said.</p><p>“Look I know it wasn’t professional.” Knowing that what he’d done could be mistaken for assault, Joe quickly jumped in to defend himself. “But you know how dangerous Wilson was, one of us could have gotten hurt if he…”</p><p>Miles lifted a finger to silence him, taking a few extra seconds to collect his thoughts before finally speaking. “Were you out of your bloody mind!?” He shook his head roughly, “Of all the insensitive… did you talk to the boy afterwards?”</p><p>Was that something he should have done?</p><p>“No… we were kind of occupied with the arrest, then everyone was tired, and we arrived this morning to find that Wilson had died and I had to sort out…” Feeling the heat of Miles’ incredulous look, Joe closed his mouth.</p><p>Flush with a mixture of embarrassment and nerves, Joe felt his temper beginning to rise. “Look. I had to do it; I’m sure Kent understood.” Perhaps he should have made more of an effort to speak to Kent about it afterwards, but Joe stood firmly by his statement that he hadn’t done anything wrong.</p><p>Removing his arm from the door, Miles pointed like an angry father towards the room. “Go, talk to him, and apologise if necessary.”</p><p>Firing a look of reluctance and irritation in Miles’ direction, Joe pushed through the double-doors and into the incident room. Kent’s seat was deserted, but Joe really didn’t see the urgency. He’d talk to Kent before the end of the day; besides, Miles were probably overreacting.</p><p>However, as the day progressed Joe couldn’t help but pick up on Kent’s strange behaviour. It was subtle, and most of the regular officers hadn’t picked up on anything. Riley and Mansell had definitely noticed though, as they were constantly firing looks at one another and whispering behind their desks when they didn’t think anyone was looking, casting looks in both Kent and Joe’s direction.</p><p>The first thing Joe noticed was the way Kent rolled his swivel chair a few inches from his desk when Joe paused to ask him about a file, putting more distance between them than usual. The second thing was the way Kent tended to flit out of the room on an errand whenever Joe spent too much time outside of his own office. And then, the final nail in the coffin was the panicked look the younger man fired at him when Riley was discussing the stakeout.</p><p>Perhaps Miles was right, clearly that kiss had unsettled Kent. In a way, Joe knew that should be perfectly understandable, after all when he was a DC, if his superior officer had just leaned in and kissed him, he would have been horrified as well. But he couldn’t help but feel slightly insulted by the gesture.</p><p>Was Kent truly that horrified that another man had kissed him? Or did he really think Joe had just taken advantage of the moment to assault him? Both conclusions caused Joe to take offence. He never would have made that move if any other options had been open to them; besides, he would have done the same thing if he’d been standing next to the others.</p><p>A small and disturbing thought entered the back of his mind. Was that really true? Would he really have kissed Miles or Riley, or Mansell in that way? He thought back to the nip he’d pressed against Kent’s already swollen lips, the way he’d manhandled him into deepening the embrace… could he really justify that, even if it had been to maintain their cover.</p><p>His heart was pounding, and the discomfort pressing against the material of his trousers was growing more persistent.</p><p>Sitting down quickly behind his desk, Joe closed the door firmly, reaching for the tiger balm. Fingers pressed against his temples; he massaged the oil in slow rhythmic circles. He needed to calm down, he needed to remind himself that the kiss had been necessary to maintain their cover. He hadn’t enjoyed it; he hadn’t deepened the kiss because he wanted to…</p><p>He could feel his nails now, digging deeper into the skin of his skull. Realisation hit him. He’d just sexually assaulted his DC; no wonder Kent was avoiding him, and Miles was so angry.</p><p>The final hour of the day passed slowly, every minute passing at a nauseatingly slow pace. Miles had told him to speak with Kent about it, but what if that made everything worse. The right thing to do would be for Miles to report this to HR. Joe would lose his job, and it was the least he deserved. Even if he could justify it, he was looking at a transfer and demotion at the very least.</p><p>Perhaps he should report himself… but then he wouldn’t get the chance to apologise at all. That was the one thing Joe wouldn’t be able to live with. Even if Kent wanted to report him after everything, Joe wanted a chance to apologise first.</p><p>The clock struck six.</p><p>Hearing the shuffle of chairs outside his office, Joe sprinted round the desk and threw open the door.</p><p>Kent was still here, looking alarmed by Joe’s sudden appearance, but he hadn’t made a run for it yet.</p><p>“DC Kent could I have a quick word?”</p><p>Kent’s face whitened, mouth opening in search of an excuse.</p><p>Riley had grabbed her scarf and was quickly making a break for the door, while Mansell, who had caught Kent’s eye for a second grinned at him before following Riley out.</p><p>“I…” Kent swallowed, “I mean… yes sir.” His dark eyes were shifting about the room, fingers ringing the length of his scarf nervously.</p><p>“Actually Joe, I was wondering if I could have a quick word about…” Ed waved a hand, he’d almost been out the door.</p><p>Kent took the opportunity. “It’s okay, we can discuss whatever it is tomorrow sir, I’m sure Ed…”</p><p>But Miles had grabbed the balding archiver by the arm and was dragging him through the doors. “Whatever it is, it can wait” Joe heard Miles tell him, as the doors swung closed behind them, leaving him and Kent alone in the incident room.</p><p>With most of the desk lamps turned off, the room cast a murky glow about the space, just enough light for them to be able to see one another clearly by the dim main lights that hung above their heads.</p><p>“About the other night…”</p><p>Kent shook his head quickly, “It’s okay sir, I know you had to do what you did to stop Wilson recognising us.” The other man still wouldn’t look at him, dark eyes skimming back to the door as he eyed up his escape.</p><p>But Joe shook his head. “No. I took it too far… I understand if you report the incident to HR. I don’t know what came over me, but I took it out on you and for that I can’t express how sorry I am.”</p><p>He watched Kent carefully throughout his apology, taking note of every little flicker on his face.</p><p>After a short pause, Kent let out a soft sigh. “I’m not going to report you… I was the one who…” he swallowed, “<em>pushed </em>it first. If anything, you should be reporting me.”</p><p>A faint memory of Kent’s tongue brushing against his mouth returned to Joe. At the time he hadn’t really registered who was doing what, but now that Kent had spoken, he realised the younger man was right.</p><p>“We both did what we had to.” Joe’s mouth was dry, but he hoped this compromise would be enough for both of them. An embarrassing story they’d probably never repeat to anyone, but something they could move on from.</p><p>He watched the movement of Kent’s throat as the younger man swallowed. “I… I’m going to apply for a transfer.”</p><p>Joe froze. His mind racing through a hundred sensible responses, the first being that he should be the one applying for a transfer instead of Kent. However, his mouth was moving before any reasonable conclusion could be reached. “You can’t.”</p><p>Immediately Kent’s face tensed. “I can’t… I can’t keep working like this. Eventually I’m going to screw up again, just like I did with Lamb.” He was backing away, shifting closer to the doors. “Someone’s going to get hurt and it’ll be my fault!”</p><p>Flung from desperation into confusion, Joe blinked. “Lamb? What are you talking about? Kent what happened with Lamb was terrible, but it wasn’t your fault.” It had been two years since Morgan Lamb had been killed. Joe knew he shouldn’t have left the interview rooms unguarded; he hadn’t realised how dangerous the situation had been, none of them had.</p><p>Kent didn’t look convinced, his eyes were wide, meeting Joe’s in a way that he could only describe as <em>pleading</em>.</p><p>“I need a transfer.”</p><p>Before Joe could say anything else, perhaps something more sensible, Kent had closed the space between them and kissed him. It was soft, chaste, and far too short. Kent was already stepping away again, the distance between them opening up like a gulf.</p><p>Taking advantage of Joe’s shock, Kent ran, leaving half his belongings behind at his desk.</p><p>It took Joe a second too long to recover. Kent had already passed through the doors and was no doubt sprinting down the halls.</p><p>“Kent!” Running as fast as his legs could carry him, Joe bolted around the desks and hurried out after him. He hadn’t expected the smaller man to be so fast, and Joe didn’t catch up until they’d both made it to the abandoned carpark. His hand reached out, closing around Kent’s before he’d really thought about it. Feeling Kent jerk back, he released it, but the touch had served its purpose, Kent had stopped.</p><p>The younger man was standing by his bike, scarf wrapped loosely round his neck, the hoodie had been left on the back of his chair.</p><p>“Why?” Joe shook his head slowly, “Why would you want…” His head was a mess, Joe could already feel his fingers beginning to itch. Usually he turned his office light off and on three times before leaving, and he always counted the security cameras on his way to the carpark. He hadn’t done any of that, and now he was standing in front of the person he was desperate not to let out of his sight, trembling like a nervous wreck. “I’m so broken… I’m obsessed with my job, I’m stubborn, I… I can’t leave a room without turning a blasted light switch on and off. You…” All the things Kent was, earnest, hardworking, loyal, intelligent, he could do so much better.</p><p>The other man’s defensive stance softened, his eyebrows creasing in confusion as he slowly approached. “Sir… you are the most inspirational man I’ve ever met. You’re brilliant, good-looking, and smarter than any bloke in a uniform sitting in head office.” Joe looked up to see Kent looking up at him, teeth catching his lower lip. “I’m jealous, impulsive and I get so stuck in my own head sometimes that I lash out at the people who are trying to help me. Whatever you believe about yourself, you deserve much better than that.”</p><p>The excuses were running out. Joe could feel his eyes flickering downward, towards the lips being worried between the other man’s teeth.</p><p>“Well nobody’s perfect.” Despite everything a smile flickered onto the corner of his face, his eyes meeting Kent’s. Kent laughed nervously, swinging on his heels indecisively until he finally focused on the blue eyes tracing his every movement. There was caution there, but Joe could sense a newfound bravado that he hadn’t seen in the younger man’s gaze before. He waited, until slowly Kent rose onto the tips of his toes, fingers closing around the front of the taller man’s shirt to draw him downwards. Joe let himself be led, angling his head to allow Kent better access.</p><p>The kiss was short, but gave them both time to respond, humming in appreciation as they stepped away from one another.</p><p>“So…” Kent tilted his head to one side to the effect of a question.</p><p>“So” Joe replied. “If you’re certain you know what it is your signing on for… I’m willing to see where this goes.”</p><p>Upon seeing the bright look fluttering onto the younger man’s face, Joe felt his heart skip a beat.</p><p>Yes. He was definitely willing to see where this led.</p>
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